Kolt Dieterich Set For Major Role on Washington Huskies Offensive Line This Year

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SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies football team stands out among the various other teams in the Big Ten in a specific category.

The Huskies had a significant amount of returning veterans on the team this season on both sides of the ball.

The linebacker room and defensive line both have returning upperclassmen with starting experience with Washington, but the most significant amount of return could be on the offensive line.

Four of the five starters on the offensive line last season returned to the team this year. The only player not to was left tackle Carver Willis, who was selected in the 2026 NFL Draft by the San Francisco Giants. Class of 2026 recruit and the highest-ranked player in the class, Kodi Greene, has stepped in for the role for most of the offseason.

The current set up of the offensive line has led to questions as to where one of the Huskies' transfer portal acquisitions, fourth-year lineman Kolt Dieterich, fits in.

Dieterich transferred to Washington from Sam Houston State, where he was the highest-graded offensive lineman in Conference USA by Pro Football Focus and played at both right and left tackle his final season with the Bearkats.

Dieterich missed all of spring with an injury, but the coaching staff is still working on finding a new role for him.

Offensive line coach Michael Switzer confirmed in a news conference Aug. 4 that he would get snaps at center this season. This is in addition to him getting practice reps at the other positions on the line, as well.

According to head coach Jedd Fisch, Dieterich will continue to get important reps in training camp at center.

"Kolt's playing, right now, first-team center for us," Fisch said after a practice Tuesday at Husky Stadium in Seattle. "Kolt's very first time snapping the ball was in spring football. I think it was practice six or seven, I kind of woke up one morning and I said to (Switzer), 'Why don't we just get Kolt snapping? Just get him snapping?' One more position he could play."

Just because the coaching staff plans on giving Dieterich those starting snaps doesn't mean he'll be the starter when the team opens the season, however.

Assumptive starter Landen Hatchett, who was named to the preseason award watchlist for the Rimington trophy, is still out with a hand injury he suffered during last season.

Fisch and the rest of the coaching staff has maintained the position that the best players will start, regardless of veteran experience, which could create an unexpected competition in camp between Dieterich and one of the most respective linemen on the team.

However, if Hatchett comes back and reaffirms his status as the team's center, the Huskies could have a "utility" offensive lineman in Dieterich, which should come in handy if UW has to wade through injuries sometime this season, or in certain formations and packages.

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